An unidentified thief stole an SUV used by Oakland Mayor Barbara Lee after breaking into her office at City Hall, according to a story first reported by the California Post.
OPD told The Oaklandside that the department is investigating the theft of a city-owned vehicle from City Hall on Monday, Feb. 17. The vehicle was recovered within hours in Vallejo.
“No one in Oakland should have to worry about their car being stolen, whether they’re a resident, a city worker, or the mayor. Public safety is a priority across our entire city,” Lee said in a statement to The Oaklandside.
“OPD is following up on potential leads,” a police spokesperson said. “As this is an ongoing investigation, no further information is available at this time.”
It’s unclear how someone gained access to Lee’s office. Oakland pays for private security personnel to guard City Hall.
Last fall, a 45-year-old El Cerrito man was charged with making threats and racist comments against Lee over email.
Vehicles used by past Oakland mayors have been a source of controversy. In 2024, city officials acknowledged failing to pay a local auto dealership for a Ford Expedition that was used by former Mayor Sheng Thao. In 2010, Oakland police booted then-Mayor-elect Jean Quan’s car outside of City Hall because of unpaid parking tickets.
Oakland employs a network of automated license plate readers that can track stolen vehicles. An audit of the system shows several recent searches by OPD for vehicle-related criminal offenses. There have been 842 reported motor vehicle thefts so far in 2026, according to the most recent data published by OPD. This is slightly higher than the same time last year, but 28% down compared to the average of the past three years.
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